Scrap cutter and the like



Aug. 22, .1950 v I ,F. K. KRAG SCRAP CUTTER AND THE LIKE 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed April 19, 1947 Aug. 22, 1950 F. K. KRAG SCRAP CUTTER AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed April 19, 1947 Patented Aug. 22, 1950 sures.- sar NT" relates orrres SOME-CUTTER AND THE LIKE:

Franz. K. Krag; Chicago, IlL

Aipptication April 19; 1947', Scrial'NG. 7'42",63fi? 6 v.Claims.

poser of: cutting the bar? scrap into shortened lengths u during-. the-progress at; thee die cutting operations; Generally such: cutting into; shortenediilengths wilt 2 proceed regularly during the successive advancingemorements of the bar stock whioteis-being fed throughilthe punch press; but at: times itimay T be." desired: to; discontinue the scrap-zzcuttingeoperations, ailowing v the scrap; bar tbiulEfiNB: therpressx in 1a; ,continuousstlen thr At such :times the scrap cutter "shouldsbe :-so:;di'scon.-. nect'ediromethe. punch press: mechanisms that ituwillriremain idle but whemthussidle: the-jaws, or; bladessof theiserapccutter; should be gretained imopen: positionssosthat. theadva-ncin rbar "stools scrap:mayrmouetregularlyebbtweenzsuclrzblades.

One object :otztheepresent "iILVSDctlOIKZE SQtO vproride emery rsimplezbut: efrectireeformr. or? scrap, cutterzwhichmarbereadihr attached;and secured tr-th :tab1e .,0f:aapillmh press said {scrap cutter beingsubstantial ly selfcontainediinitsconstructiomi butw bein provided with; suitabler me ans whereby ;-its=m0yeb1esbladerorujawamay be io erae tivelrrconnectedrzozthe drivecshait of the punch press to: cause proper rotationef-rthe serancutter; imothervobiectioitherinrention .is-to. provide aryermsimple.meansctoqccnnectthecreciprocatin IOdgOlfglillk which the mouable'gblade; is reciprooated; oesaidrbladee This.:con1ieeti-ne:, n is:- so onstructedathat 2 it may: beereadiiav; liSQOHs nectedirrom; the-movablebladeswhen eidsblade 1st .zr main idle; to herebrraliow-the cut r to remain idler-:Whflm heepunehe pr ss -i on inueseto perate.- This ydisccnneetabhconnection includes ebay netconnectorof SuGhifQI -l; that-by a simple quarter turmoil; a sui ableepar l e: lower nd of the r pro atingeredumerbe connected to: r disconnected from the fixture carriedbythe blade, sz s ble-.-the co nec inszor--disoennectinssoperati-Qnsm ely r -rsuc quarter urn operation. r he fixtu justi ab rereferd .tei-aisozincludes a bell and so etiio nt;otsuchi e rnzthat thereiired rswinsinsemor ments etweem hefir in rocatinerodandithe b ade ee ye modated. Whenthe :reciproca ingzrod rhas' been disconnected frorne theeblade- ;-s,aidrod: may be swuna to oneeside and lashed way fromnthe scrap cuttfir elem t ut dnqs elr aemanner as to.\:-a11owfor rthe rcontinued;reciprocati g moee? ments of saidmOd iduring; the continuedf punch press operations These; scraps cutters; are- Spring: means is provided -r to: normally move the blade-to its uppermost 1 position as -limited .-by a vsuitable brackets When.the-reciprocating rod has been disconnected from the blade thissspring means serves to-mo vetand retain the blade in itsraisedposition' and .o-ut-of the way'ot IbQII StOCK advancing from the-press dies: By thismeans said ,blade is held-in. raised :position during such times.- However; when: the reciprocating rodisto v beeagain connected rto.-1the ,-biade-:to.restore the scrap-butting function-. said blade must be rocked down against the force of such spring during the attachingsoperation. For-thispurpose I have provided a simpleeform of iroclcfi-ngeri bywhich a sufficient amount depressing-force may-be read, exerted on. theblade-to force it downlaga-inst the said spring; and then after the reciprocating rod has been attached to thehladesaidfinger maysbe restored to its non-engaging, position, to allow normalfunctioning of-athesblade to be .restored.

Arfurther feature of .thepresent invention cons. sistssin .the provision of means, whereby therbase element of theiscrap cutter may beibodil-y adjusted laterallyeon thettableroftherpunch. press, together with means. whereby the: proper. operating. cone nection. between theeccentricon the punch press shaft and. the movable, cutting blade.oi-..the .scrap cutter will be maintained throughout allincrmal lateral adjustments of the basaelementof the scrap, cutter on. the punch presentable. It is here noted, that such .lateralfiadjustments: ofsthe .base element of the scrap cutter on..the, punch press table, are. desirable in. order to bring thescrap cutter into .such positionthat .thebar scrap will bersevered. at selected .positionsuwith respect to the holes in. said bar. scrap, whicheholes have beenspreuiously. formed bycthe punching operations. By, means of .the lateral-adjustments hereinsprovided it is possiblesto bring, the scrap cutter always to that position; on-thepunch presstable Whfil'fisthfl cutting operations.v on .the bar scrap Will ..be. produced at the selected positions with respectto. the holes punched in the .bar scrap.

The operating; connections oi the punch press shaft to the movable blade of the scrapcutter include. anvertically reciprocable link .between these parts. It is-a" featured. the presentinvention that i I havev provided i universal joints betweentheends ofsthisi link and the eccentric strap which encircles thereccentrimand the-movableblade-of the scrap cutter, These universal joints permit or-such lateral-adjustments of the base element on th nch 1 presstable without r p odinsdaterakadjustments oith ieccen tric being required, and still the proper reciprocating movements of the movable blade of the scrap cutter are produced during the punch press operations, and during the punch press shaft rotaticns.

The vertical operating link which connects the eccentric strap with the movable blade of the scrap cutter will cause the same amount. of up and down swing of that cutting blade for shaft rotations irrespective of the exact lateral position of the base element with respect to the punch press dies, but it is evident that when the base element of the scrap cutter is moved to one side or the other with respect to a position directly beneath the eccentric on the punch press shaft the movable blade will be raised slightly, so that it will reciprocate within a, range of movements somewhat higher than when directly beneath the eccentric. I prefer to provide the blades of the scrap cutter with an amount of overlap during their cutting operations so that they will always properly co-operate for the scrap cutting operation even when the base element of the scrap cutter is shifted laterally from a position directly beneath the eccentric. I have also made provi sion for changing the length of the link so that when such lateral adjustment is made the blade will nevertheless reciprocate through the same range of movements, and between the same upper and lower limits of movement, as will be the case when the scrap cutter occupies a position directly beneath the eccentric.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the same which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a face elevation of a typical scrap cutter embodying the features of the present invention, and as attached to a typical form of punch press, which punch press is shown more or less schematically, the central portion of the reciprocating rod being cut away to shorten the figure vertically, the movable blade of the scrap cutter being shown in its lowered or cutting position, the finger being swung into its non-interfering position, and a portion of the movable blade being cut away to better show the ball and socket joint connection and related parts;

Figure 2 shows a plan view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 shows an elevational view corresponding to Figure 1, but at right angles thereto;

Figure 4 shows a cross-section through the stationary and movable blades, taken on the line 44 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, but on enlarged scale, the blades being in co-operating position, that is, the movable blade is in lowered position; and

Figure 5 shows a fragmentary section through the ball and socket joint connection between the lower portion of the reciprocating rod and the movable blade, on enlarged scale as compared to Figure 1.

In the several figures the table which carries the stationary die and to which the scrap cutter of the present invention is to be connected is shown at IE1. The stationary die is shown at H, and may of course be of any suitable form. The details thereof are therefore not herein illustrated. The companion or male die is shown'at l2. The usual rotating shaft of the punch press is shown at 3. It is schematica y S Q l t being provided with the eccentric l4 which is connected to the male die [2 by the press link !5 in well understood manner. A bar of stock is is shown as being fed through the female die i i' in the direction of the arrow in Figure 3. Typically, a, punched out section from said bar is shown at H, having been cut out from the bar and fallen to the position shown in Figure 3. Suitable advancing means, not shown, is provided in connection with the die elements and the punch press to ensure intermittent advancement of the bar stock during the intervals between downward movements of the male die, in well understood and conventional manner. Thus the bar scrap, i8, advances from the companion dies towards the left intermittently.

The scrap cutter of the present invention includes a base element I9 having a suitable configuration for setting on the table iii. For this purpose said base element 19 is also shown as provided with the laterally extending feet 28 provided with the elongated slots 2i whereby said base element may be connected to the table by use of suitable screws, not shown. The slots 2i permit the baseelement 19 and the entire body of the scrap cutter to be adjusted laterally on the punch press table iii and secured in any laterally adjusted position within the limits of adjustment permitted by the slots 2!. This base element carries the stationary blade 22, preferably comprising a hardened block 23 set into a recess of the flange 24 of the base element. Furthermore, this stationary blade is preferably provided with the straight edge as well shown in Figure 1.

At one end, preferably its rear end, this base element I9 is provided with the extension 25 which extends upwardly at an easy angle. The movable blade carrier 26 is pivotally connected to this extension by the cross pin 2! so that said blade carrier is permitted to reciprocate verti cally through an angle sumcient to enable the desired functions to be effected. The opposite end of the base element, preferably its front end, is provided with the slotted vertical extension 28, having the slot 29 wherein the front end of the blade carrier is permitted to swing up and down, and by which slot said front end of the blade carrier is guided and kept in a straight up and down path of movement, and whereby lateral pressures exerted on the blade carrier during scrap cutting operations are resisted. The cutting blade proper preferably comprises a hardened block 38 set into a recess along the lower edge of the movable blade carrier. Examination of Figure 1 shows that the cutting edge of this 'movable blade is preferably formed so that it shears with the stationary blade 23 with a progressive shearing action. To this end this movable blade is conveniently formed with a slightly 1 V-shaped. form, as well shown in Figure 1. During the downward or shearing movement the movable blade Shears along the cutting edge of the stationary blade; and any lateral force exerted on the movable blade carrier during this shearing action is resisted by the guiding of the scribed, Therefore the spring tends at all times a eregcce dsornaise ithe :bladeccarrier. Tl'he menstruation his howevercsuchi as toipermitidownward -mcvement nfithea blade 'carriertsumcient taensureccmplete shearing: action tto alo 2 effected.

, fiBivotallyrrnonntedcto the: upperportion of tthe frontextensinnafl ofitheibasaelement, and-withinzthezslot :29 thereof tisi llhei fingenpiece; 33. This pivotaliconnectioni ishefiected byitheicrosstpin-t'id. A tail or handle eaiiistprovidedicn tthis finger pieceswherebyz it cansbe rocked through=su-hstan- .tiallyr; 9D. degreesgafrom athetposition ashown iniFigsure 1. ,Wheni'ithisifingerrpiece is;' in the position shewn; iniFig-ure theiuilmpwardi movement of the movable i'bladeecarrier is :permitted, whereas :hy;rockingatheifingerrpiecezthroiigh substantialiy ninety degrees ecounterclockwise f'rom :the posiitiontoi iEignre 1, 1 thus 1' bringing tthe handle into eshorizontalpositicn, an'd the finger proper into awerticalipositionnsaid finger tproper twill foree the mouablerblade down?itsrcomplete movement,

amless said;bladeshas:alrea;dy beenfifcrced clown,

which flatter case i-blade will the temposifarily zlockeii z'mrsnchldownward position: by'the fin er piece. -Ihet:cl-esirabi-lit-y of this arrangement willigpresently ifla ppear fin :fiull detail.

fibecshaft s t3: carriesttheeeccentricfi E. The-ec- :centric. :band 331:0! :this eccentric has; connected :theizeto athe gpush 11'0121 tor ;bar '88 which #extends adownttozthenposition'of the; blade carrierz-zzt. The connectioni of ithe upper fend! of the push :rod 38 t0, sthe .='ec cent-ric :wband tin-eludes the mniversal zfioint n3 8?: such that itheirod 138's can be :swung laterally of the. i punch -:pres's Aland still imaintain :Qnerathze econnection ito Lthe eccentric tband. fiihismconnection also includes fthe splitssocket ccnnectioniifli such that e'the amount :of inseritionof zthe :upperreml of'zthe rcdi38 into said seclsetxdnay the ,iadjusted to thereby in eh ect change the length of the rod crilink 38. lihe alowelteendvof thiSL'PUShHOd Elias securedtunt i the halleelementiw. SSuchasecuiing is iconveniently reflected byrthetweldingishownvat' 40 in Figur-es :1 and :iThus mist-11011338 ,serves toensure i both sand W down ;movements :of ime ivball element. socket elementrm which is'za companion to the zball element, ;is :.pro:videdwith the central opening 42 of sufificientcsize'ito callow for some slaterakswingingemotvementcof the pu sh rod 38 .withont, interference ct-herewi th, to '1 thus accomnnodate lateral sswingsxof athe "push rod f of the movable :blade :carrie kinsnormal F functioning. {The :loweriedge of thisesocket-element his prorVidBSl with the sopposed outwardly extending .fianges; 4&3 and MA which are set down n-nto a tcircular recess :24 Erofithe: upper :face of the blade r ...re,tain the same against upwardfmoyement:away

from the blade carrier. However,=,by;ttlrningithe socket element through. Substantially -90 degrees from the position as shown in Figure 2 the flanges and 44 of the socket element willjbe tdisengaged' "from thelugs and thereupon the socket element, together with the ball element and the push rod may be raised away from the blade carrier; or conversely, with the push rod in its raised position the blade carrier may then be rocked down against the force of the spring 32 far enough to allow the push rod and the ball element connected thereto to be swung to ,onesidemndzaway from the liladezzearrier i from which .:these [parts :have 151711135 teen: disconnected. Conversely, when athe ypnsh rrod iris etc =-be eaeain connected etc the -.;blade :cazrrier :such :connecticn may [be arealdily z-effected shy 1a reversal of the operations ajustastated.

During the disconnecting operation il'ust explained ,the :;blade "carrier rzoccupi-es zits lowered :pcsition. iincsuchzposition said Made carrierixzooperates :with tthmstatmnaty ;;blade and its -;carrier in such 3a rmanner \thamfreeendwise :movement of the: bar stock rorizscrap 1 is rp-revented. It is therefore :desirable ;-that :after :the :pnsh rod has been disconnected .zf-rom .the :movable :blade carrier said i bmdecarrier he'rallowedtog-risettoiza noneinterferinghosi-tion. -:This:result: may be .effectedrloy1merelyirecking'tthe finger .piececit .into the positionshown iniFi urefgliyvhereintthesblade carrier allowed etc arise amderiithe'fiorce ofithe spring =32 :and into ta men-interfering zpesition hi h enough tonallow {the g-bar-Fscrap [to passrbetween the two bladessin 'casezait should-:baelesired to continue munching operations without muttting thehbar scrap into shortzlengths.

When the push has .:b.een.= disconnected v-.-a-s .yexplained:aboveiitgmay hes-loosely flashed to 10116 side, ;out=of:the sway fromacther parts; andrthen the :normal punching mperations may .prcceed without cutting .Qfitthebarmcrap, =;the ;push;rod merely moving :under :the influence :of :the sec- ;cientric but without :interference with the 1121186531 blade :carrier.

.Ifiides-iredia 'shheticalishielditfi mayabezsetsover 1711B O n 42 mfithe: socket r element 1 to ..preevent foreign :matter from-getting; into asaidsopenving '42. [Suchsshield :willsins suchmase "rock: back :and 1f, orth ,over the .outer; face of' the 'socket aelerment v according the swinging motzenientsqof the ,push :rod.

It should; he :.mentioned xthat-rathe iblade carrier ispreferably provided-with; a :sphericalerecessttl to accommodate tthe ;-sphericall-y formed l lower ,-,end -.o f the. push zircd, aso ilthatrs atisf-actory pushiii-g: action will :beacommunicatedrfrcm :the push rod to 1131163: blade icarrier :ati'all positions {of said .=;blade carrieriinincrmal service.

:The lateral :;adius.tability aof the lease :element -cf the scrap cutter unit makes it ipossiblea't'o thr ls {said unit always. :to: such apositionrwith 1 re- ..spect rtO ,the intermittently advancing -.b.ar scrap that the scrap rcutting operations will Zoccur .at selected positions: with respect i110 '5 the @success'ive punched .openings so]? {the :har iscrap, :as, for sex:-

znple, ositions where the, material of :the char crap marrow rand :readilyxsevered. LThB :uniwersal gjoi-nt fconnecti'onsvof i the. upper Land ".lower ends cf the char QrylillknWilTh :the "eccentric .--band {and ;the :movable iblade trof tithe scrap \zcutter sen -su're,.pr 0ner wiverationsrto be, transmitted if-rom the eccentric tto ithezmccable dolade airrespective of iiateraliadiustmentsmf thesscrapmntter:onithe ;table-.,of the punch press, :within the limits of z-adihstmentzapermitted byvthe slotszzi. The split socketzconnection 38 ipermits ithe length of i the .alin-k 3 8{tobezadfiustedatosensure rocking move IIEBHGS (of cthe imovable :blade Zbetween selected upper andiicwerwlimits evenavhen-Lthe=scrap cutter is adjusted to one side or the other of its position directly beneath the eccentric.

While I have herein shown and described only a single embodiment of my present invention, still I do not intend to limit myself thereto, except as I may do so in the claims to follow.

Where, in the specification and claims to follow, I use the expression eccentric means or like expressions it is to be understood that I contemplate any suitable form of means in connection with the rotating means to produce a reciprocating movement of the push bar or like element, as for example, a crank pin in connection with the rotating means or shaft.

-I claim:

1. In scrap cutting device for periodically cutting oif scrap bar as it moves from a punch press between punching operations thereof, said press having male and female dies for the punching operations, and also having means to co-operatively actuate said dies for the punching operations, including a rotating element, said scrap cutting device having in combination a base element, means to support the same in fixed position with respect to the die elements, a horizontal cutting blade'carried by said base element, a swinging blade element, pivotal means connecting said swinging blade element with respect to the base element, eccentric means in connection with said rotating element of the punch press, a pushbar connected to said eccentric means, there being a socket in the swinging blade element to receive the lower end of the push bar, a ball element secured to the lower end of the push bar, a ball socket to engage the upper portion of the ball element, there being an opening in said socket to freely pass the push bar, lugs in connection with the lower portion of the ball socket, a circular recess in the swinging blade element to receive the said lugs, engaging means carried by the swinging blade element in position to engage with the lugs of the lower portion of the ball socket element when the socket element is in one rotated position, and to permit said lugs to pass between the engaging means of the blade element when the socket element is in another rotated position, spring means tending to raise the swinging blade element with respect to the base element, together with means to lock the swinging blade element in lowered position against the force of said spring means, substantially as described.

2. In a scrap cutting device for periodically cutting olT scrap bar as it moves from a punch press between punching operations thereof, said press having male and female dies for the punching operations, and also having means to co-operatively actuate said dies for the punching operations, including a rotating element, said scrap cutting device having in combination a base element, means to support the same in fixed position with respect to the die elements, a horizontal cutting blade carried by said base element, a swinging blade element, pivotal means connecting said swinging blade element with respect to the base element, eccentric means in connection with said rotating element of the punch press, a push barconnected to said eccentric means, a'ball and socket bayonet connection between the lower end of the push bar and the swinging blade element, said bayonet connection including lugs on one part engageable with co-operating lugs on the other part, and there being disengagement openings between said last named lugs p rmitting disengagement of said parts'from each other when the bayonet connection is turned into one position, spring means between the base element and the swinging blade element tending to raise said swinging blade element, together with manual means to lock the swinging blade element in lowered position with respect to the base element and against the force of said spring element, substantially as described.

3. In a scrap cutting device for periodically cutting ofi scrap bar as it moves from a punch press between punching operations thereof, said press having male and female dies for the punching operations, and also having means to cooperatively actuate said dies for the punching operations, including a rotating element, said scrap cutting device having in combination a base element, means to support the same in fixed position with respect to the die elements, a horizontal cutting blade carried by said base element, a swinging blade element, pivotal means connecting said swinging blade element with respect to the base element, eccentric means in connection with said rotating element of the punch press, a push bar connected to said eccentric means, disconnectable means .to connect the lower portion of the push bar to the swinging blade element, spring means tending to raise the swinging blade element, and manual means to lock the swinging blade element in lowered position against the force of the spring, and irrespective of downward pressure exerted by the push bar, substantially as described.

4. A device as specified in claim 3 wherein the connection of the push bar to the eccentric means includes a universal joint permitting lateral swing of the push bar with respect to the rotating element of the punch press, substantially as described.

5. A device as specified in claim 3 wherein the means to support the base element in fixed position with respect to the die elements includes means permitting adjustment of the base element laterally with respect to the die elements, to thereby permit adjustment of the distance between the base element and the die elements, substantially as described.

6. A device as specified in claim 3 wherein the means to support the base element in fixed position with respect to the base element includes means permitting adjustment of the base element laterally with respect to the die elements, to thereby permit adjustment of the distance between the base element and the die elements, and wherein the connection of the push bar to the eccentric means includes a universal joint permitting lateral swing of the push bar with respect to the rotating element of the punch press, substantially as described.

FRANZ K. KRAG.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Littell June 27, 1922 Number 

